Lovable vs Bolt: which AI app builder should you use?

Both turn a chat prompt into a working web app. Lovable leans towards polished front ends with GitHub sync; Bolt runs a full development environment in your browser. The right pick depends on how much you want to see the code.

Sign up free: 3 template sites on a we.inc address. AI building from $20/mo.

The short answer

Pick Lovable if you want a polished app front end from chat, with the project synced to GitHub and a backend on Lovable Cloud or Supabase. Pick Bolt if you are comfortable reading code and want to run, edit and debug it live in the browser while the AI works.

Lovable lists a free plan with 5 credits a day and Pro at $25 a month for 100 credits (checked September 2026). We did not check Bolt's prices for this page, so see bolt.new/pricing for its current plans and token limits.

If what you need is a business website rather than an app, We.Inc builds it from a description. Free for 3 template sites; AI from $20/mo.

Side by side

LovableBoltWe.Inc
What it isAI app builderAI app builder with an in-browser dev environmentAI website builder
PlansPro $25, Business $50 per month; Enterprise customSee bolt.new/pricing (not checked for this page)Starter $20, Pro $50, Max $99 per month
Free planYes, 5 credits a day (up to 30 a month)Check Bolt's current plansYes: 3 template sites, we.inc address, no AI
How usage is countedCredits per messageTokens (check the current limits)Credits per AI generation
CodeSyncs to GitHubFull code in the browser editor; download or deployYes, export to GitHub

Lovable prices checked September 2026 on its pricing page, in US dollars. Bolt prices are not quoted because we did not check them for this page; confirm both on the vendors' own pages before you buy.

Pros and cons

Lovable

Best for: Founders building web apps and MVPs who want the code on GitHub

Price: Pro $25, Business $50 per month; Enterprise custom; free plan with 5 credits a day

Pros: Polished front ends from chat; Syncs projects to GitHub; Backend on Lovable Cloud or Supabase

Cons: Credits limit how many changes a month you get; App-first, not focused on business websites

Bolt

Best for: Developers who want to run and edit real code in the browser as the AI works

Price: See bolt.new/pricing for Bolt's current plans (not quoted here)

Pros: Real development environment in the browser; See and edit every file; Good npm and framework support

Cons: Token usage can run down fast on larger apps; Less hand-holding for non-technical users

We.Inc

Best for: People who want to describe a site or web app in plain English and have AI build it

Price: Free plan: up to 3 template sites on a we.inc address, no AI. AI building from $20/mo (Starter, 250 credits). Pro $50/mo, Max $99/mo.

Pros: Describe what you want in chat and AI builds a full, editable site or app; Edit by clicking on the page, by asking in chat, or in a real code editor; Export the React and TypeScript code to GitHub, so you are never locked in; Unlimited sites on paid plans, custom domains from Starter

Cons: The free plan is templates only; AI building needs a paid plan; Newer platform with a smaller app marketplace than the big names; Store features are simpler than a dedicated ecommerce platform

Verdict by buyer

A non-technical founder who wants a good-looking MVP and the code on GitHub: Lovable. A developer who wants to watch, run and fix the code live: Bolt. A small business that needs a website, not an app: neither is the simplest route; a website builder is.

First-year and three-year cost

Plan fees only, at the prices checked September 2026 and assuming no change. Lovable Pro is $300 a year on monthly billing and $900 over three years. We do not quote Bolt's plans here; note its entry plan price and monthly token allowance on bolt.new/pricing and multiply by the years you expect to build.

For both, what you really pay depends on how many messages or tokens your project needs. The test below is how to find out. We.Inc, for comparison: the free plan costs nothing but has no AI and no custom domain. Starter, which adds AI building and custom domains, is $20 a month: $240 for the first year and $720 over three years at today's price.

A five-task test to run before you pay for Lovable or Bolt

AI builders charge by usage, so the useful question is how far a plan's credits go on a real job. Give Lovable or Bolt the same small-business website brief you would give any other tool, then count the credits each step uses.

1. Ask for the first version from one paragraph describing the business. 2. Request five specific edits (a new section, a colour change, a price change, a new page and a text fix). 3. Submit the contact form and check where the entry goes. 4. Publish on a custom domain. 5. Check whether you can export or download the code and what you would need to host it elsewhere.

Write down how many credits steps 1 and 2 took. Divide the plan's monthly credits by that number and you have a rough idea of how many changes a month the plan supports for you.

Ownership, integrations and moving away

Lovable syncs projects to GitHub, so the code leaves with you; plan where the backend will live if it runs on Lovable Cloud. Bolt gives you the project files in its editor, and you can download them or deploy elsewhere. Both connect to outside services such as Supabase and Stripe; check the one you rely on before you start.

When each option wins

Lovable wins on polished front ends and a guided flow. Bolt wins on seeing and running the code as it is written. We.Inc is an option if you would rather describe the business and have AI write the first version: free for 3 template sites on a we.inc address without AI, and AI building with custom domains from $20 a month.

Who wrote this and how

We.Inc makes a competing website builder, so read this with that in mind. Every price on this page comes from the vendor's own pricing page on the date shown, with a link to it. We say where the other option is the better choice, and we do not publish scores for tests we have not run.

Start from a template

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Is Lovable or Bolt better for beginners?

Lovable is usually easier if you do not read code, because it keeps the focus on the app rather than the files. Bolt suits people who want to see and edit the code.

Which is cheaper, Lovable or Bolt?

Lovable Pro is $25 a month for 100 credits (checked September 2026). Check bolt.new/pricing for Bolt's current plans. Because one counts credits and the other tokens, run the same small project on both to compare.

Can I export my code from both?

Yes. Lovable syncs to GitHub and Bolt lets you download or deploy the project files. Check where any backend or database runs before you move.

Are Lovable and Bolt good for a business website?

They are built for apps. For a business website, a website builder is usually simpler; We.Inc builds one from a description from $20 a month.

Does We.Inc's free plan include AI?

No. The free plan publishes up to 3 template sites on a we.inc address. AI building starts on Starter at $20/mo.

Related reading

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How we research, test and update this page: our editorial policy. We.Inc is our own product.

We.Inc is an AI-powered website builder you can resell under your own brand. Launch a branded client dashboard, bill on Stripe Connect, and deliver AI-generated websites in minutes. White-label plans start at $99 a month for 25 client sites, with a 7-day free trial and no per-site fees.

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